Faithful Relaxed Heads

[aquajoyice]

A couple days ago my 71 yr old mother asked me to put a relaxer in her hair. I have been doing her hair for years and was telling her she should consider going natural. We got into a heated debate about the subject becuase she took it like I wanted to get out of doing her hair. When actually I was thinking how much easier her life would be if she went natural. My mother always had really long super thick hair like a lions mane and she always put chemicals in her hair whether it be a relaxer or jheri curl back in the day. She was natural when it was "cool" and everyone had afros, but now those days are gone.

She recently had to cut her hair really short due to damage and uneven ends. So i'm thinking this is the perfect time for her to go natural and just decorate her hair with hair clips and hair bands. then I began to think about my situation. I've been relaxed for a really long time and even though I tex-lax i'm still having to use a chemical every 8 weeks.

It's making me realize that I dont want to be the 70 year old woman still getting her hair relaxed every 8weeks. And then I realize I have to start somewhere. Because like most I make excuses on why now is not a good time.

How many other relaxed heads feel the same? And how many of you don't mind being 70 and still using relaxers?

 

[spinspinshuga]

This is one of my primary reasons for not wanting to be relaxed (or texlaxed or whatever I am) anymore! I'm so glad someone else feels this way; I honestly felt a little silly for thinking this! I kept imagining myself, decrepit and hobbling to a salon to get a relaxer and rollerset, and that just didn't seem appealing to me.

 

[Magnolia85]

My granny is 82 and has a fit when my mom does not give her a relaxer every 6 weeks.

 

[Dposh167]

I for sure won't be that woman still relaxing at 70. Although, my g-ma is 73(?) and she still relaxes...every 6 weeks!

i think at some point i may transition. if not, then i'll learn how to texlax myself. Cuz now i relax super bone straight with lye @ the salon.


eta: i think once my hair gets longer (maybe waist length)...i'll have a better idea. cuz now i can't even think about that stuff right now

 

[Poranges]

I'll transition at like 45-50. No later than 50 years old...Just because I'll have enjoyed my long relaxed hair for long enough & I'll focus on growing some long natural hair.

 

[cherepikr]

I am really just starting to enjoy my hair in its relaxed state. I honestly have not thought that far ahead.

 

[sylver2]

ill see when i get there

 

[november wind]

I'm going to BC when my grays come in. My mom and grandma are both natural with silver hair and I think it is soooo beautiful.

 

[taz007]

ill see when i get there

What she said.

My mom is 72 years old, gets relaxers and still has a full head of HEALTHY, thick and long hair. So when I read about people concerned about their health or thinning hair as they get older due to relaxers, I have no idea what they are talking about.

 

[lonelysky]

I'm not trying to sound mean or start anything at all OP, but why would your get your hair relaxed every 8 weeks? I would think that it would be a chore at that age. If you only did it three or four times a year (or even once or twice a year) it wouldn't be a big deal.

 

[lonelysky]

What she said.

My mom is 72 years old, gets relaxers and still has a full head of HEALTHY, thick and long hair. So when I read about people concerned about their health or thinning hair as they get older due to relaxers, I have no idea what they are talking about.

co-sign

 

[tailormade84]

ok...i guess its just me but i actually wanted to be able to be young enough to enjoy my NATURAL hair...so i jumped the "relaxed" ship in my early 20's and i hope to enjoy some BSL natural hair for a few years and perm it when I get too old to deal with detangling sessions LOL.....but who knows....maybe i'll just keep one long braid......

 

[Lovelylife]

I'm pretty sure I'll still being relaxing, maybe even more. I have too much hair to be dealing with once I get 70. I can't imagine trying to take an 1hr to do my hair everyday.

 

[Traycee]

ill see when i get there

Thats how I feel....Who knows how I will feel years from now....

 

[ceebee3]

I'll be transitioning at 40-45. I can't imagine being 60 and still relaxing. I hope to have long beautiful fully natural hair by 50.

 

[lonelysky]

i think that its funny that a lot of the naturals would relax and the relaxed would go natural.

 

[Denise11]

I wouldn't want be working with natural hair when I'm in my 70s. I hear to many stories about how much work it is, and how long it takes to do natural hair. At 70 it would probably be too much.

 

[LivingDol1]

i don't actually see a problem with having relaxed hair well into your 70s and 80s. my mother and grandmother both have relaxed hair, and at some point in life, used to have long hair. my mother cut her hair as a style choice and has kept it cropped since the 90s. it suits her. same for my grandmother.

they both have healthy hair... relaxed AND colored! but they also go to the salon weekly and have gone to the same trusted stylist for years. that's just their way. if i still lived in my hometown, i'd proly be going to the same stylist just like them.

i like my relaxed hair and honestly i don't think i will ever go natural. it's what i'm used to and i think it suits me best. the closest i have and will ever get to being "natural" is wearing braids.

 

[LushLox]

I wouldn't want be working with natural hair when I'm in my 70s. I hear to many stories about how much work it is, and how long it takes to do natural hair. At 70 it would probably be too much.

Yes, I think it would be much easier (for me personally) to deal with relaxed hair at that age as opposed to natural, and I would hopefully still be stretching them out too.

 

[TaurusAngel]

I see no problem with relaxing at 70 either. If i am still wanting relaxed hair then, then i'll continue to do so. it just depends on how i feel at that age.

 

[LaidBak]

70 is not that old. I intend to still be fly when I am 70. I suppose that would entail keeping up with my relaxers. I don't see a problem with that. When I am truly old (90?) I'll probably big chop and wear fly looking wigs.

 

[<3Curlz]

I'm 22 and fully transitioned a yr ago. This was one of the reasons,as well as I didn't wanna have to rely on a relaxer and I didn't really kno how to stretch my relaxers. I also have thin hair

 

[Miamori]

I want to be free to chill in my fabulous island retirement home by that time, without trekking for a touch up, dealing with new growth and two-texture tangles, or asking hubby, daughter, or whoever is around for help. I will still look good, relaxers just won't still be a part of my maintenance routine, since that is the only thing I do in regards to my appearance that requires so much upkeep. I just want to chilllllll then.

 

[MAMATO]

My mother is 70, she self-relaxes and self-colors her hair on a regular basis. Her sister is even older and does the same thing. They are both very fly and have thick APL hair 70 and + is still very young for them.

My aunt who lost her husband about 15 years ago is currently thinking about getting married with her first husband, the father of her first daughter. She has a very young heart and recently told me I quote "He's always been the love of my life" What a girl can do

ETA: They both have not been faithful relaxed heads all their life. My aunt started to relax her hair when she was 50. My mother has always been ON and OFF of relaxers all her life. She started to relax her hair in her early 40s. And the first 15 years she was not consistent with it, so most of my childhood I've always seen my mother with natural or pressed hair.

 

[Hot40]

I had told myself at 40 I would go natural, Well I will be 40 in a few months
and I am still not ready. But I agree with you will not be relaxing at 80

 

[Ivypearl08]

Me too girl!...however...my AHA moment was when I got my hair done at the local hair school and saw older ladies coming in that were balding at the top of the head and I wondered how many chemicals they had put in it over the years. I think it was at that moment I started to cherish my own hair and want nothing but the best for it.

 

[exubah]

My aunts get my grandmother's (who is 90 by the way) hair relaxed probably once or twice a year...........she really don't need it (3c a little beyond shoulder length) but she (my grandmother) loves the slicked back in a pony with a fake bun that she gets after her relaxer!

----oh yeah, btw, my mama (my grandmother) got her first relaxer in her mid-70s erplexed.

 

[Southernbella.]

I always knew I wouldn't be that old lady getting relaxers, but like a pp said, I'd rather enjoy and grow my natural hair now. I couldn't imagine dealing with long natural hair when I'm old. At 70, I'll probably wear a short gray natural.

 

[Southernbella.]

My mom was transitioning last year, but she eventually went back to relaxers. She's 65 and even her beautician is trying to get her to transition. She says she isn't ready, though.

 

[Kayluv]

Please forgive me if I sound contrite...but it's really not a big deal getting a relaxer at 70 if that's what you want to do. There are other things that can be worse. IMO